With Honours
by Natz95
Summary: An AU fic, everyone's at boarding school, some at trying to get away from their past, others are trying to find themselves but what happens when love gets in the way? Naley, Bake, ChrisPeyton
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys its Tasha again! With a new fic officially my third one! It was originally a request by Monica (cabot007) Its an AU story about them all being in boarding school, the couples are Naley, Bake, and Peyton/Chris. Now I just need to say a very special thank you to Miranda! My wonderful beta! And Monica for believing that I could take on this fic!

Disclaimer: I unfortunately don't own One Tree Hill, any of its characters or any storylines, they all belong to the great Mark Schwahn and WB/CW, I also don't own the initial story idea that belongs to Monica but I do own the plot!

Chapter One

Leaving the Strangers Behind

"Brooke, hurry up! We're gonna miss the flight!"

"Shut up Nathan!"

"Why, in God's name, did I have to get Brooke Scott as a sister?!" Nathan muttered to himself as he dragged his own suitcase out into the hallway.

"Where's your sister?" Dan exclaimed, seeing only one of his two children.

"She'll be here soon dad."

Dan walked past his son and reached the bottom of the enormous staircase before bellowing to his daughter. "Brooke Scott!!"

"I'm just coming!" Brooke hollered back.

Dan sighed loudly and turned his attention back to his son. "Now as soon as you get there I want you on those weights. I hate to say it, but these past weeks you've gotten soft son and the last thing we need is Whitey taking your ass off the team!"

Nathan groaned inwardly. Dan had been pressuring him all summer about basketball. Not a day had gone by when Nathan wasn't woken at the crack of dawn and been forced to spend the next four to five hours with his dad pumping him with weights, sprints, cross country runs, anything that Dan could think of.

"Now remember son, this is your team. We want all the scouts to know that so you need to get your ass in gear!"

"Whatever," Nathan muttered under his breath.

"What was th-"

"All ready!" Brooke exclaimed, beaming at her father and brother as she carried along her suitcases.

"About time!" Dan muttered, momentarily taken away from replying back to his son's comment.

"You know full well that Nathan needs to get to school early. He has his whole career to consider, he can't just shake some pom poms and be a whore like you seem to have mastered making a living out of!"

The words felt like a slap to the face and Brooke flinched back in horror as tears started to burn at the back of her eyes.

"Leave her alone Dad!" Nathan angrily said, coming to his younger sister's defence.

"Nathan! At least you have basketball! What's she going to do with her life? Become a druggie like her mother?"

"Stop it Dad!" Nathan warned before going over to his sister and picking up her bags. "Come on Brooke the cab's waiting outside."

Nathan came towards her putting as arm gently around her shoulders, but she pulled back from him.

"Where's mom?" Brooke whispered, tears threatening to spill.

"She's probably out on the lawn, it's her new bedroom these days," Dan answered, a smirk playing on his lips.

"I think she's in her room," Nathan said quietly, looking intently at his sister.

"I'll be back." She quickly ran up the long winding staircase, but not before she heard a loud sigh from her father.

Brooke honestly didn't know why it still hurt so much, being around her father all these years she had gotten used to being completely ignored and having her brother favoured over her. But every time Dan came up with a new way of assaulting her, it still managed to break her into pieces. The petty insults and the name calling, but worst of all was the being ignored, the way that he walked by her as if she wasn't even there.

Brooke rounded the corner into the left wing of the Scott mansion, reaching the door way to the guest bedroom she took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for what was about to face before slowly opening the door.

The room stank of alcohol and as Brooke ventured further into the room dirty clothes and make up lay about as well as dozens of empty pill bottles. Among the mess she finally caught sight of her mother sprawled across the sofa opposite the plasma TV that was mounted on the wall.

Brooke sighed. No matter how many times she had witnessed her mother like this, it still shocked and scared her. It also brought back her father's words. _Was she really going to turn into this? _Brooke quickly brushed the thought away.

As Brooke made her way over to her mother she saw that Nathan had already cleared some of the bottles away and realized he was probably the one who had placed her on the sofa.

She knew that her mother wouldn't have managed to get there by herself, whenever her mother went out Nathan would always wait up for her hoping, praying that she's wasn't in some drunken stupor which she usually was. Many a night Brooke silently watched her brother from the shadows as he carried their mother up to the guest room and stayed with Deb the whole night to make sure she was okay.

Brooke picked up the rest of the bottles and placed them near the bin. She walked over to the sofa where Deb laid, tears trickled down Brooke's face as she brushed away strands of blonde hair from her mother's face. She gently leaned over and placed a kiss on her mother's cheek.

"I love you so much mom," she whispered.

Deb shifted slightly in her sleep, unaware of her daughter's presence.

She got up and slowly covered her mother with a blanket, thinking of the many times when Deb had done the same for her.

As Brooke turned away from her mom she spotted a full bottle of pills lying on the floor, glancing at her mom quickly she pocketed the pills before she walked out of the room. She turned back to look at her mom briefly before closing the door behind her.

Nathan had already placed his own two suitcases and his sister's five piece luggage set into the cab before he went to stand outside on the porch, looking back at the place he called home.

Dan, although ignored by his son, continued his rant about the one thing that he always ranted about - basketball. Nathan finally turned his attention from his thoughts back to his father.

"Son you know I wouldn't have minded driving you to the airport."

Nathan held back his anger at how his dad only mentioned himself, not even sparing a thought for his sister.

"Its fine Dad," Nathan muttered. He couldn't stand his father ranting on at him now, so he definitely didn't want him doing it all the way to the airport.

The other reason was Brooke, Nathan knew that she could hold her own, but he also knew that Brooke had done more than enough suffering and the last thing he wanted was to give his father the satisfaction of watching her crumble to pieces.

Brooke quickly ran out the doorway and quickly approached her brother and father. "Sorry I just needed to pick up a couple of things," Brooke muttered before she turned away.

Nathan hadn't failed to notice her eyes though which were faintly red and puffy. "Let's go Brooke," Nathan spoke quietly to his sister who seemed to have not heard anything and just stood there looking at the house.

Nathan turned to his father. "Well see you Dad," he muttered before he started to make his way to the cab.

"Hey! Not even a hug for the old man?" Dan exclaimed, pulling Nathan back and bringing him into a manly hug. "Now remember everything I told you. It's your team, always has been and always will be. Don't let anyone take that away from you son!"

"Right Dad," Nathan muttered before he made his way back to the cab, opening the door to let Brooke in.

Brooke walked over to her Dad with a big smile that lit up her face. "Bye Dad. I'll miss you,"

"Get in the cab Brooke, the last thing we need is the school to call and say you've already screwed up," Dan muttered before he brushed past her and strode back into the house.

Brooke stood there, momentarily shocked, staring at the retreating figure of her father. The words had stung, but she willed herself not to cry. Quickly gathering herself she fixed a smile back on her face before she turned towards her brother and walked to the cab.

Nathan sighed, feeling his sister's pain and anger and what she had become because of Dan. He briefly glanced at the top right window where he knew his mother still lay asleep, dead to the world before he walked around the cab and got in himself.

"LAX airport," Nathan instructed the driver.

He glanced at the rear view mirror, watching his sister as she gazed at the house. He followed her gaze thinking back to the year before when they had first left home for boarding school. He remembered feeling sad, angry and afraid. But as he looked back at the Scott mansion slowly vanishing out of sight he could only feel relief that he was finally getting away from it all.

Hey hope you liked reading please let me know what you think; whether you liked it, hated it or think it could improve. All constructive criticisms are welcome!


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys here's the next chapter thanks for the reviews.

Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own One Tree Hill, any of its plots or characters they all belong to the amazing Mark Schwahn and the WB/CW, I also don't own the initial idea for this story that belongs to Monica, I do own this all the plots though!

Enjoy reading…

With Honours

The fear that lay within

Chapter Two

"Mom! Dad! Hurry up! I'm gonna miss my flight!" Haley hollered from the bottom of the long winding staircase.

"Coming dear!" her mother called back.

Haley sighed. It would be a miracle if she didn't miss her flight.

Grudgingly she hauled her two suitcases out into her Dad's SUV before she walked back to the front of the house and stood there, her foot tapping impatiently against the hard ground.

She watched as her parents clambered down the stairs, her dad's shirt rumpled and half tucked in while her mother's hair looked like it has gone through the hedge and back.

The two adults quickly set out trying to eat and grab their suitcases, Haley watched them with tired amusement.

Looking at her family, Haley would definitely be seen as the parent figure while Jimmy and Lydia the two teenagers. Haley could hardly imagine how they managed to get to any of their meetings on time with the way they were.

"Have you got your passport dear?" Lydia mumbled while munching on a piece of toast.

"Yeah Mom!"

"See Jimmy? She's always one step further than us!"

"My responsible young daughter!" Jimmy exclaimed as he ran around trying to find his keys.

Haley pulled the keys from her pocket and waved them in front of his face. Jimmy plucking the keys from her daughter's hand and leaned in to give her a light kiss on the cheek. "My Haleybub!"

"Dad! Don't call me that!" Haley moaned, although secretly she loved the special name her family had given but she would die before she admitted it.

"Mum, Dad? If I'm the more responsible than you guys, why are you shipping me off to some crappy boarding school when I could just stay here?"

"Oh honey! I thought we'd gone through this already! We know you're a very responsible young girl-"

"Woman!" Haley cut in.

"Woman," Jimmy continued, "But you're only fifteen! You need a stable environment and living in a big empty house isn't that!"

"But-"

"No buts! Anyway you'll have a fantastic time. You'll get to experience the real world, gain some independence,"

"I hardly think going to some stuck up private boarding school is gonna give me any worldly knowledge or wisdom!"

"You'll get to meet new people."

Haley groaned. She didn't want to meet new people, she was just fine with the people she had! She loved her home and her life here, she was comfortable here and she knew how things worked. Going somewhere else she would have start all over again, make new friends and lead a new life.

Seeing Haley's sad expression Lydia's heart sunk, going over to her daughter she pulled her in for a warm hug.

"Hey my little Haleybub!" Lydia soothed. "If you really wanna stay then that's fine, your dad and I can put the trip off until you're older,"

"No!" Haley answered quickly.

As much as she wanted her parents to stay she couldn't let them. Travelling had always been a dream for them, the excitement and adventure of never staying in one place for too long. Though their worldly plans were disrupted when Lydia fell pregnant and they finally settled down to have kids. Now six kids later, Haley being the last one left, she always knew there would come a day when they would take flight.

Looking at her parents she wanted them to reclaim their dream and after many months of persuasion she had finally got them to go. She wasn't going to stop them from their dreams now!

"Its okay mom, anyway boarding school should be a great new experience."

"Are you sure honey?"

"Yep!" Haley said, fixing a wide grin on her face. "Now come on you guys or I'll miss my damn flight!"

The James family made their way out, clambering into the SUV. Once everyone was settled Jimmy started up the engine and switched on the soothing sounds of Janis Joplin. Haley smiled from the back seat as her parents started animatedly singing along with the CD.

She turned back to her childhood home which was slowly vanishing out of sight, a sense of loneliness and fear crept through her bones.

"Come on Haley!" Lydia exclaimed. Haley turned to her parents all her fear slowly vanishing away. She knew she'd made the right decision.

_Ahh! What the hell!_ She thought as she joined in singing the old country song and laughing with her parents, secretly cherishing the last remnants of home she had.

* * *

Peyton lugged the suitcase down the stairs of her home, the loud clunking clearly resonating through the large house.

Putting her suitcase by the door Peyton walked into her front room expecting the lone figure of her father slumped in front of the T.V drinking away or sleeping in from his drunken nights out.

"Dad?" Her voice echoed through the living room

There was no one.

Worried Peyton turned back to the rest of the house, quickly checking the bathrooms and the dining area. Finding them empty, Peyton neared the kitchen. Childhood memories of her father and mother sometimes laughing and joking, cuddled up in a romantic moment consumed her.

The kitchen always had been the Sawyer family's main room. As far back as Peyton could remember everything significant almost always occurred around the kitchen; the thanksgiving meals, the constant fights over Peyton's current boyfriend, the teary farewells when her father left for many months on the drudging boat, the family reunions and the telephone call saying that Anna Sawyer was dead.

Peyton tried to push all the memories away, but the child in Peyton dared to hope that she would find her dad cooking her breakfast, bidding her farewell and telling her not to mess with boys till she was at least thirty!

She wanted her father back. The handsome man she had known and loved all her life, not the travelling faceless man with the drunken nights and the pot belly always slumped on the couch, anxiously waiting for his next job.

Peyton shook the thoughts away and carefully peered into the softly lit kitchen. It was empty.

"Dad?" she called out in a small voice, all her hopes crumbling away. Peyton sighed and turned to walk out of the room when her eyes landed on the small note sitting on the island.

Picking up the note her eyes gazed at the hastily scrawled message.

"_Hey, just got called in last minute for a job. Don't bother with dinner, dad," _

The words kept running through her mind. She didn't know whether to feel happy and relieved that he had bothered to write a note or be angry and sad at the fact that he didn't even know she was leaving for school and probably didn't care.

She drew in a deep breath, willing herself not to cry. She took out her ipod and cranked up the volume so that 'Funeral' by A Band of Horses reverberated loudly into her head.

Dropping the note, she breezed through the house never once looking back. She grabbed her suitcase and made her way out onto the front yard.

Minutes rolled by as Peyton drowned herself to the sounds of her ipod. She wasn't upset, she shouldn't be upset. Not with the amount of times her father had flaked on her. It was a surprise he knew she was still alive.

"_I hate farewells!"_ he would always say,

Well for someone who didn't like farewells he sure seemed to leave a whole lot.

A lone tear fell.

A yellow cab pulled up against the curb and honked, pulling Peyton away from her thoughts.

Jake motioning the driver to wait, climbed out of the cab and made his way warily to his cousin. Giving her a small smile he picked up her suitcase.

"I can get that myself!" She replied harshly. Peyton tried to grab the suitcase away from Jake, but the athletic figure thwarted her advances.

Finally giving up, they both stood there.

"Did-"

"No," Peyton replied hastily, her anger showing through her words.

They walked to the cab in silence and as Jake shoved the suitcase into the trunk Peyton climb into the back seat.

Jake got in beside her and they both gazed ahead as the cab peeled out onto the road, beginning their four hour journey to Tree Hill.

Peyton's mind was swimming with thoughts, wondering where her dad was at that moment. Did he know she was off to face another year away from home?

Tears slowly escaped trailing down her face. "He never said goodbye," she whispered.

Jake barely caught the words, but his heart clenched in sympathy for his cousin. "He'll come round Peyt."

Peyton couldn't look at him, her gaze was fixed out the window. She didn't want to see the pity in his eyes.

This had become a growing ritual for Peyton and Jake. She would for the briefest of moments bare her heart and all her true emotions and Jake, her cousin and best friend, would with his small words give her the glimmer of hope, keeping the child alive within her.

The child who had hidden away two years ago.

The little girl who was scared to let people all the way in.

The little girl who was scared to let go.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it, please review and tell me what you think, I welcome all constructive criticisms.


End file.
